Worth Dying For
by Torchwood85
Summary: The tears come thick and fast then as relief suddenly overwhelms her and once again, she clings to him for dear life. The one half of her heart dedicated to Will chiding her foolishness while the other half is fit to burst with gratitude and love for this man, this Pirate who holds her to him like she's the most precious treasure in all the worlds. Oneshot. Sparrabeth. Post OST.


She finds she isn't at all surprised to find the _Pearl_ nowhere in sight when the sun finally sets and the Dutchman fades from view. What _does_ surprise her however, is the presence of the _Troubadour_ sat in wait upon the horizon and quite suddenly her disappointment at finding her last friend in this world gone for places unknown replaced by an oddly fond acknowledgement he'd still enough regard for her well-being to have sent Teague to bring her home.

Ah, home.

The concept seems absurd as she thinks on it because she has no home, not anymore. And indeed, save for the chest containing Will's still beating heart she has _nothing_, not a single thing to her name and as they slip silently down the Devil's Throat and Shipwreck City emerges like a shining beacon of hope she thinks that perhaps this is indeed the best place for her to be. She highly doubts Will would have thought too much of it of course and would most certainly have disagreed entirely, but she trusts Jack, funnily enough after all is said and done, to know that if Teague had brought her back here, then here was indeed where she was meant to be.

She was a pirate after all. What better place for such a creature to be than with her own brethren.

She wonders idly if the elder Captain knows just exactly how perceptive and astute his son could be when he put his mind to it. When he turns from the helm not a moment later and catches her gaze to offer a far too knowing curl of his lips that hers can only match, she thinks he just might indeed.

_Jack…it would never have worked out between us…_

…_Keep tellin' ye self that darlin'…_

She'd long ago learnt to see through the facade of drunken buffoonery, despite his wishes to the contrary, though they never spoke of it. Neither before nor after she'd needlessly chained him to the mast of his own ship and caressed the lips of the man who she'd no doubt in that moment had been about as close to the truest version of himself she'd ever bore witness to and mourned the loss of all the more.

Though to be fair she'd quite literally gone to the ends of the Earth to bring him back from the hell that was Davy Jones Locker, and not just because they'd needed him, which was true enough of course, but because she'd _missed_ him.

Missed his ridiculously cocky grins and his permanent drunken swagger. Missed his hat and his beard and the endless stream of endearments he thrust upon her whenever it suited him. Missed the banter, the arguments and the flirting. She'd even longed for his blatant disregard for both hygiene and personal space so much so she recalls quite clearly wishing to once more feel the rum soaked caress of his breath against her lips and his calloused knuckles upon her cheek.

At the time she'd thought it absurd and wanton for a woman to be in love with _two_ men, but despite her own denial and wishes otherwise Captain Jack Sparrow had firmly wedged himself deep into the recesses of her heart and simply refused to budge no matter what.

This man, this _pirate_ who'd just hours ago given up his chance at immortality, she suspected, not because Will's life was needlessly brought to an abrupt halt by a creature hell bent on gaining his revenge, but quite simply because he couldn't stand to see her heart break so.

"Oh _Jack_, if only you knew the truth..."

With a sigh she turns her gaze upon the helm once more, profound gratitude for both father and son who'd thought to retrieve her from a deserted beach so she might not be quite so lost and alone.

"Thank you, Captain Teague." She murmurs softly as the guidelines are tossed overboard and the ship gently nudges up against the wharf, his brow furrowing somewhat in confusion.

"What for Lassie?"

"For bringing me home."

"Aye," He nods in understanding, suddenly tossing her a set of keys, "That I will."

It's her turn to frown as she gazes down at her palm, "What's this for?"

"Home," He grunts as he strides off, pausing at the bottom of the gangway to glance back at her when she remains in a daze against the gunwale, "Well you comin' or not?"

She was concerned at first that when he'd mentioned home, he'd meant his. The man himself chuckling uproariously as he leaves her on the doorstep of what was once a decently sized frigate with a steadily deepening scowl to return to his quarters in the great hall to watch over their great city until a time their _King_ might seem fit to do so herself.

She finds in that moment she both loves and detests Captain Jack Sparrow in equal measures. The latter for how remarkably he is much like his father in his ability to irritate her no end, and formerly because of the two men she loves most in this world and the next, it was he who had the forethought to ensure she be taken care of in the admittedly unlikely event that William couldn't and wonders just how long this arrangement had been set in place.

She asks Teague as much one night after dinner, the two sitting alone in the great hall as they had many a late night for the last few weeks as he brings her up to speed on the role that is _Pirate King_ and all it might entail and finds she had indeed been far dearer to the pirate's heart for far longer than even she might have suspected. The trinkets that sporadically arrive on her doorstep, usually via rather dubious though courteous a comrade whenever they might seek shelter amidst their great city further confirming his albeit silent and absent insistence in ensuring her well-being. She wishes that one day soon though that it might be he whom turns up instead with a smirk and a tale of some great exploit, or even better, whisk her away upon an adventure himself.

When he finally does manage to swagger his way back to Shipwreck City however, she does _not_ fling herself into his arms and clutch tight to him like she might never let go but instead cannot seem to stop herself from raging and railing at him for being so careless as to once again lose his beloved ship and very nearly his life for the sake of prolonging it before she storms from the room leaving Jack staring after her wide-eyed and Teague shaking his head.

"So ye told her then?"

Teague's snort conveys equal parts amusement and condescension as he replies.

"Who d'ye think it was what sent me in the first place?"

Jack stills at this, his brow furrowed somewhat in befuddlement before he shrugs and swaggers off after her.

She isn't angry at him necessarily, though she does thinks he ought to have more regard for his own safety, it's more she knows without a doubt he can take her ire in all its forms, as he has bore it many times like no other, and somehow manages not to hate her once it's all over.

Her eyes close as the familiar thud of his boots approaches from behind to still just shy of where she stands by the window, his dark kohl-rimmed eyes no doubt more than capable of burning through the stoic facade of the mighty Pirate King to reveal the pale, gaunt and terrified woman beneath whether she might want him to or not.

"How far along then, Bess?" He says finally as he comes to stand at her side and she swallows, one hand defaulting to the flat of her stomach as the other finds his bejeweled digits and entwines them so tightly she's sure she'll sport the imprint of one of his rings upon her own skin.

"Two months."

She sees him nod from the corner of her eye and finds herself remarkably relieved when his fingers clutch hers just a little tighter.

"I'll see to it." He murmurs in a tone oddly reminiscent of the seriousness she'd witnessed just prior to her betrayal and she can't help but stare up at him in awe.

"You've done more than enough for me already, Jack, I certainly don't expect you to-"

"I know," He agrees, abruptly stifling her objections as he tucks her gently under his chin and into the warmth of his coats, "But I will, luv, o'course I will."

The tears come thick and fast then as relief suddenly overwhelms her and once again, she clings to him for dear life. The one half of her heart dedicated to Will chiding her foolishness while the other half is fit to burst with gratitude and love for this man, this _Pirate_ who holds her to him like she's the most precious treasure in all the worlds.

"Jack, I lov-" She holds him tighter when worlds fail her, and the admission stills upon her lips.

"Aye, Lass," He rumbles, and she melts further into him as he gently lifts her from her tired and trembling legs into his arms, "I know ye do."

She exhales softly and nods against his shoulder.

"The compass?"

"The Kraken." He corrects and she suddenly snorts somewhat in amusement.

"Really Jack, I can't help but be concerned over your past romantic liaisons if chaining someone to their own ship and feeding them to a giant squid is tantamount to affection."

"Not affection, no." He agrees with a curl of his lips, "But love, aye."

"How?" She ventures softly when he remains silently smirking.

"If ye'd not loved me as you do, Bess, you'd never ave' plucked me free of the locker to begin with."

"I'm not sorry," She murmurs into his neck, "Not then, not now."

"Oh, I know." He grins.

"You were wrong about one thing though." She adds as they meander the corridors towards home.

"Do enlighten me, Deary."

"You and I, Jack," She murmurs, "You know I think we would have worked out famously."

He chuckles at that and presses a kiss to her forehead.

"Who knows love," He whispers an agreement into her hair, "Perhaps we still might."


End file.
